NORTHWEST

Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are around 70 degrees. Water levels are 6 inches over the crest of the spillway. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig with a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber in 3-6 feet of water in Town Bay from the stone piers along Ice House Point, the dredge cut near Denison Beach and around the rock piles near Gunshot Hill Cottonwood Point and the East Basin. Walleye – Slow: Try leeches or crawler harnesses around Ice House Point, the dredge cut near Denison Beach, and around the rock piles near Gunshot Hill, Cottonwood Point and the East Basin. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Catch largemouth all over the lake using traditional bass lures. There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Black Hawk Lake.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Use stink bait, cut bait, or crawler fished on the bottom along Ice House Point and in Town Bay, and along shore near the outlet. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use crawlers fished 3-4 feet below a bobber on the lake side of the inlet bridge and from the stone piers in Town Bay.

Brushy Creek Lake
There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Brushy Creek Lake, and a 40 inch minimum length limit for musky. Walleye – Fair: Use minnows and leaches in 15-20 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Fair: Find perch along the vegetation and deeper structure. Largemouth Bass: Catch bass along weed lines near shore just about anywhere with traditional bass lures. There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Brushy Creek Lake. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are picking up bluegills in 15-20 feet of water.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Storm Lake has a daily limit of 3 walleye and all 17- to 22-inch walleye must be released; no more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Walleye – Fair: Troll crankbaits or drift crawler harnesses on the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake in 6-10 feet of water. White Bass – Fair: Use crankbaits; most action has been from boat while fishing dredge cuts.

Water temperatures in Black Hawk District lakes are around 70 degrees. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
The park road will be closed Sept. 19th – 21st due to road construction; there will be no access to the boat ramp. Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll with a tube jig or small minnow. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift fish or troll with a small jig. Shore anglers should fish a small piece of crawler or cut bait off the bottom.

Clear Lake
Surface water temperature is 70 degrees. Walleye – Slow: Troll crankbaits in 6 to 10 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Good: Fish on the bottom with cut bait or crawlers after sunset. Black Crappie – Fair: Drift a jig and minnow over deeper submerged vegetation. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift or troll a small jig tipped with cut bait or a minnow over the reefs until you find fish.  Muskellunge – Fair: Fish the edge of the vegetation and near docks.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll small tube jigs or a minnow in the dredge cut or on the edge of vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use crankbaits.

Lake Smith
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll a small jig or minnow in deeper near the outlet.

For information on the lakes and rivers in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Excellent bite continues with good numbers of fish being caught. Cast mini-jigs or hair-jigs or use small baits tipped with wigglers. Don’t overlook the evening bite from docks as these fish will move shallow at dusk. Walleye – Good: Numbers of fish are being caught with traditional baits; good numbers of yellow bass are mixed in with the catch.

Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Numbers of fish are being caught trolling. Don’t overlook public areas to fish using traditional “cat” baits which will provide excellent action.

Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Good: Recent surveys show good numbers of large angler size fish in the lake.

Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
Channel Catfish – Good: Report of angles catching fish from the river.

Lost Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Reports of yellow bass being caught with black crappie and yellow perch up to 10 inches mixed in the catch. Use small lures such as a twister tail or hair jigs. Bluegill – Good: Recent surveys show numbers of fish approaching 7 inches in the lake. Black Crappie – Good: Recent surveys show numbers of angler acceptable size fish up to 10 inches in the lake.

Ocheyedan Pit #1
Channel Catfish – Fair: Recent surveys show good numbers of 17 -23 inch channel catfish.

Spirit Lake
Walleye – Fair: The fall walleye bite has begun with action improving. Yellow Perch – Good: Good numbers of angler acceptable size yellow perch continue to be caught in the outside line of the weed beds.

West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Rock piles in deeper water with stands of aquatic growth will produce good numbers of angler acceptable sized fish.

For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.

NORTHEAST

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels stabilized with improved clarity. Use caution when boating. Flows or current are still high. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for current water level information. Walleye – Fair: A variety of baits are working; try a jig tipped with a minnow floated through an eddy. Channel Catfish – Good: The catfish bite is on; use chicken liver, stink bait or dead chubs.

Decorah District Streams
Small game hunting seasons are open in Iowa. Many trout streams flow through areas with hunting. Wear bright colors. All catchable streams are stocked. Listen to the trout stocking hotline (563-927-5736) for daily information. Brook Trout – Good: A variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects, like ants and beetles, are more numerous. Try small spinnerbaits and jigs tipped with twister tails work. Brown Trout – Good: Hendrickson caddis and cranefly hatches are occurring. Crickets are common along streams now. Use hendrickson gnat or beadhead nymph patterns. Pale yellow, black, brown, and grey colors work best. Rainbow Trout – Good: Try a piece of worm or small cheese chunk on a hook under a bobber in the deeper holes or floated past an undercut bank. A variety of small spinnerbaits work well.

French Creek
The bridge on Mays Prairie Road (CR X6A) is being replaced. Work is scheduled through mid-November. Access the parking lot from the south. Brown Trout – Good: The best time to fish French Creek is after rain events so fish will be less spooky. This stream rarely turns off color.

Lake Hendricks
Water temperatures are in the mid 60’s. Black Crappie – Fair: Slowly reel a minnow on a hook over structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try near submersed rocky habitat or depth contours in the early morning.  Channel Catfish – Good: Use a large night crawler fished off the bottom near woody structure. Bluegill – Fair: Activity should pick up with cooler temperatures. Try a small jig tipped with small piece of worm off rocky shoreline or near submersed logs.

Lake Meyer
Lake clarity is slightly stained. Few people have been fishing. Bluegill – Fair: Use a hook tipped with a small piece of worm or cricket under a bobber near weed edges. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or cut baits fished just off the bottom in the evening. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater baits along weed edges on overcast days and late evenings. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a jig and minnow near submersed structure.

Osborne Pond
Osborne Pond is currently being renovated. The dam was breached in July and a water retention basin installed. Material will be removed over the winter and new habitat installed in the spring. After repairs to the dam are made, it will be allowed to fill. The pond will then be restocked with bluegill, channel catfish, and largemouth bass.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
The Turkey River continues to fall and is off color.  Flows remain high. Use caution when boating. Visit the USGS Current Condition website for more information. Walleye – Fair: Use minnows or lures imitating minnows in deep water drop offs

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water level is falling at Decorah with improved clarity. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for more information. Paddling activities are not recommended.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water clarity is poor. Water levels are stabilizing. Current velocities are very swift. Paddling activities are not recommended. Visit the USGS Current Conditions website for more information.

Volga Lake
Lake conditions are improving. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a small piece of worm along rocky shorelines.Black Crappie – Fair: Slowly retrieve a lure over structure at dawn and dusk. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater lures over structure or run a jig tipped with a twister tail along a rocky shoreline. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use stink bait worms or cut baits fished off the bottom in the evening near woody structure.

Beautiful weather for the weekend. Temperatures ranging from mid-80’s for highs to mid-60′. Area rivers and streams stabilized and are off color. Trout streams are in good condition.  For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Casey Lake is in good condition with clear water. Bluegill – Fair: Try fishing various depths with a piece of crawler under a bobber near the edge of weeds or structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater artificial baits.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Channel Catfish – Good: Use crawlers, cut baits, dead minnows and stink baits. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try artificial lures near rocky shoreline areas. Walleye – Fair: Fish a jig tipped with plastic and crawler near the current breaks and bar drop-offs.

Manchester District Streams
Delaware, Jackson, Dubuque and southern Clayton County streams are in excellent condition and are being stocked.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River received a fair amount of rainfall this past week, but is falling quickly and clearing up well.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
The Shell Rock River received a fair amount of rain this past week; there have been no angling reports. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use stink baits in the top or upstream end of log jams.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
The Wapsipinicon River received a fair amount of rainfall this past week; there have been no angling reports. Northern Pike – Good: Cast large bucktail spinners.

There are not many reports on the interior rivers this past week as most areas remain high and turbid. The upper Cedar and Maquoketa Rivers are the best angling opportunities right now. Most Black Hawk County area lakes have been overwhelmed with flood waters and remain high and turbid. Trout streams have fallen and are in excellent condition. Call the N.E. Iowa district office at 563-927-3276 for more information.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing is 10.4 feet and is expected to begin a fall to 8.8 feet next week. Water temperature is near 70 degrees. The Lansing Village Creek ramp is closed through October.  For more updates, call the Guttenberg Fisheries Management office at 563-252-1156. Walleye – Good: Fishing wing dam areas will get easier with a drop in river levels. Use crankbaits or 3-way rigs fished along rock structure. Yellow Perch – Excellent: Perch bite has picked up. Many fish 13 inch fish are being caught with live minnow floated under a bobber. Northern Pike – Good: This time of year pike are attracted to cooler water coming in from springs and tributaries. Cast spoons along the edge of weed beds. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait in the main and side channel borders. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth activity has picked up. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in faster current.  White Bass – Fair: Cast flashy spinners or crankbaits along the rocks in main channel current for big white bass. Bluegill – Excellent: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs.  Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively biting in areas of current. Drop a heavily weighted worm rig into the current for some big fish action. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.

Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville is 20 feet and is expected to fall to 17 feet next week. Water temperature is 71 degrees at the Lock and Dam 9. Walleye– Good: Fishing wing dam areas will get easier with a drop in river levels. Use crankbaits or 3-way rigs fished along rock structure. Yellow Perch – Excellent: Perch bite has picked up. Many 13 inch fish are being caught with live minnow floated under a bobber.  Northern Pike -Good: This time of year pike are attracted to cooler water coming in from springs and tributaries. Cast spoons along the edge of weed beds. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait in the main and side channel borders. Bluegill – Excellent: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs.  Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth activity has picked up. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in faster current.  White Bass – Fair: Cast flashy spinners or crankbaits along the rocks in the main channel current for big white bass. Bluegill – Fair: Find the bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs.  Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively biting in areas of current. Drop a heavily weighted worm rig into the current for some big fish action. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.

Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg is 12 feet and is expected to fall to 8.1 feet by next week. Water temperature is 64 degrees at Lock and Dam 10. Walleye – Good: Fishing wing dam areas will get easier with a drop in river levels. Use crankbaits or 3-way rigs fished along rock structure. Yellow Perch – Excellent: The perch bite has picked up. Many 13 inch fish are being caught with a live minnow floated under a bobber.  Northern Pike – Good: This time of year, pike are attracted to cooler water coming in from springs and tributaries. Cast spoons along the edge of weed beds.
Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait in the main and side channel borders. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth activity has picked up. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in faster current.  White Bass – Fair: Cast flashy spinners or crankbaits along the rocks in main channel current for big white bass. Bluegill – Excellent:: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively biting in areas of current. Drop a heavily weighted worm rig into the current for some big fish action. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.